Nova Patents
US7595265B2

Semiconductor device and method for forming a metal line in the semiconductor device

Summary by NHIP

Wide-Line Metal Formation

The method forms a metal line by etching a groove into a metal layer, then etching the layer to create a lower line wider than the groove. The metal layer comprises aluminum and/or titanium nitride with a thickness of about 4,000 Å-6,000 Å and a groove depth of about 500 Å-1,500 Å.

Claim Score by NHIP

Read claim 7, the broadest

Abstract

Contact resistance of a semiconductor device may be reduced, and thereby the reliability of the semiconductor device may be enhanced, when a metal line is formed in a semiconductor device according to a method including: (i) forming a metal layer on a semiconductor substrate; (ii) forming a groove on an upper surface of the metal layer by etching the metal layer; (iii) etching the metal layer so as to form a groove-engraved lower metal line that is wider than the groove; (iv) forming an insulator layer covering the semiconductor substrate and the groove-engraved lower metal line; (v) etching the insulator layer so as to form a contact hole exposing the groove; and (vi) forming a contact electrode filling the contact hole and an upper metal line connected thereto, above the insulator layer.

US7595265B2, drawing sheet 1
Sheet 1 of 6

Term

Term ended

Expired 5 August 2026, 0.1 years ago.

  1. Priority
  2. Filed
  3. Granted
  4. Expired
  5. Today

15 claims: 3 independent, 12 dependent

  1. 1
    A method of forming a metal line in a semiconductor device, comprising:forming a metal layer on a semiconductor substrate;forming a groove in an upper surface of the metal layer by etching the metal layer;etching the metal layer so as to form a lower metal line having a width greater than a width of the groove;forming an insulator layer covering the semiconductor substrate and the lower metal line;etching the insulator layer to form a contact hole exposing at least part of the groove and a top surface of the lower metal line;and forming a contact electrode filling the contact hole and an upper metal line connected thereto above the insulator layer.
  2. 7
    Broadest claimClaim Score 72, broad(NHIP)A semiconductor device, comprising:a semiconductor substrate;a lower metal line on the semiconductor substrate and having a groove at a top surface thereof;an insulator layer above the lower metal line having a contact hole therein exposing at least a part of the groove and a top surface of the lower metal line;a contact electrode in the contact hole;and an upper metal line in contact with the contact electrode.
  3. 13
    A method, comprising:partially etching a metal layer on a semiconductor substrate to form a plurality of grooves or indentations in an upper surface of the metal layer at a plurality of first locations, the grooves or indentations having a first width;fully etching the metal layer at a plurality of second locations so as to form a plurality of lower metal lines having a second width, the second width being greater than the first width, and the second locations not coinciding with the first locations;forming an insulator layer over the lower metal line;and etching the insulator layer to form a plurality of contact holes exposing the indentation or at least part of the groove and a top surface of the metal line.
Independent claims3